Edo Decides: Cast your votes and return home – Police tell voters

The Nigerian Police Force has urged the electorate to return home after casting their votes in the ongoing Edo gubernatorial election.

Frank Mba, deputy inspector general of Police (DIG), emphasised that only individuals with official accreditation for election duties would be permitted to move freely on election day.

“Tomorrow it is important for parents and for everybody to know that if you are not accredited to carry out any of the functions related to the election, you should not be out on the street. Just come, go out there, perform your civic duties, cast your vote and return to your home,” Mbah said during his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.

The public was urged to fulfill their civic responsibilities by voting and then heading home.

In terms of preparedness, the police have reportedly taken all necessary measures to ensure a smooth electoral process.

Deployments have been made to secure key locations, including INEC headquarters and RAC centers, as part of the plan for a peaceful election.

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Addressing the issue of vote buying, DIG Mba acknowledged the challenges of managing this crime, noting that much of it occurs behind closed doors and out of public view.

He said, “Vote buying is one of the most difficult offences to actually police and manage and I am saying this with every sense of honesty,

“The reason is simple, the bulk of vote buying and selling that takes place don’t take place in the glare of the public, in the glare of the media, in the glare of the law enforcement agents. Sometimes, they take place in the bedrooms of citizens and we don’t have the capacity to police every bedroom, every kitchen, every toilet and every balcony.

“But our pledge is that the ones that happen in the glare of the public, the ones our security network are able to detect and intercept, we will deal with them.”

However, the police are committed to handling any cases of vote buying detected by security forces during the election.

With 17 candidates contesting the governorship, the Nigerian Police Force has implemented several security measures to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of Police (IGP) had earlier imposed restrictions on movement across the state and banned security aides and escorts from accompanying VIPs to polling stations and collation centers.

Unauthorised security personnel and the use of sirens by unauthorised vehicles have also been prohibited to maintain order.

Also, vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other transportation networks will be restricted from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on election day, with exceptions for essential services such as accredited media, electoral officials, ambulances, and emergency responders.